


Green tea and Bright ideas

by leecarolb



Category: Fishbones - Jisuk Cho
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 11:02:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1776751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leecarolb/pseuds/leecarolb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it just screams 'bad' in your head...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Record

> _“How sweet it will seem_
> 
> _Once more just to dream in_
> 
> _The moonlight, my honey I know_
> 
> _With the dawn that you will be gone.”_

The song played softly on a record player, inside a spacious room in the Giorgetti Manor.


	2. Green Tea

A pudgy pug stretched lazily across the rug on the floor, rolling on its back and falling asleep. Ferris watched it with a slight arch on his brows, before stretching his arms and sighing as his eyes fell on the work spread all over his table. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. How long had he been going through all those papers, again? Maybe he needed a break, or a walk, when was the last time he’d eaten anything?

“SHIT!” Ferris jolted up with the sudden reminder. “What ti- shitshitshit!!” It was 6:45 and he was supposed to meet Demos at 7 in that new Japanese restaurant just around the Park.

Luckily it wasn’t that far, and Demos was, as he often would be, fashionably late.

“Five… ” He let out a deep breath, five minutes wasn’t so bad. A car pulled over and its owner got out.

“You’re late…” Demos had a cigarette and a smirk on his lips.

“You’re one to talk…” Ferris mumbled.

They laughed and walked in the restaurant where they were greeted by the cheerful hostess.

“Hello! Welcome to Ran! My name is Yuri, do you have a reservation?” she was a very tiny girl, about 6 or 7 inches shorter than Demos.

“Uh… yes, Levinstein…”

“Ah, yes, a table for two, seven o’clock?” Her hair was pulled back in a neat bun and she wore a dark kimono.

“Yes.”

“Please, follow me.” Ferris was pretty sure he had never seen the girl before, but she was, somehow, very familiar.

“This is Eri, and she will be serving you today.” A girl was standing next to their table she looked just like the hostess, only a little bit taller, and wearing a black shirt and a black pair of pants. The boys sat as she put the menus in front of them.

“So these are our dinner cards, and this is the wine and cocktails carte. I’ll be right back with tea.”

“Thank you.” Demos smiled. “So, what took you so long?”

“I was going over some paperwork.” Ferris started to study the menu.”

“I thought you were supposed to be on vacation.” With Ferris’ lack of answer Demos just sighed and smiled.  
Eri came back, she poured tea for both boys and started reciting the chef’s recommendations. They ordered, she nodded and went back to the kitchen. Ferris’ eyes followed her for a while.

“This chef’s supposed to be really good.” Demos said with a crooked smile.

“Yeah?” Ferris was a little aloof, then he turned to face his friend. “What?”

“I didn’t know you were into Asian girls…” He grinned.

“Wha- It’s not that! She just… doesn’t she look familiar?”

“She does?” Demos thought about it for a split second before losing interest. “Anyway so this chef is supposed to be really good, he arrived here from Japan few months ago and Uncle Vic said he’s the owner’s nephew or something…”

“Really? Wait…” Ferris raised his brow. “How does your uncle know the owner of this restaurant… Do they…?”

“Uhm… no.. I don’t think so… They’re just acquaintances or something.” Ferris still looked a little skeptic but let go when the appetizers came.

“Tuna tartare, with truffle oil and shallots.” Eri put the dish in front of Ferris, “and Nori Panini with shrimp, and wasabi sauce. Enjoy!”

“Buon appetito!” Demos said courteously.

Ferris got the first bite and was almost too overwhelmed by the taste. He looked up at Demos to see if his was just as amazing, when something caught his eyes.

“What? Do I have wasabi in my face?” Demos asked rubbing it with his napkin, as he followed his friend’s gaze. “Oh…. Cazzo.” Emily was standing by the door with a couple of other girls, talking to Yuri.

“Sushi- Are you leaving?” Eri was surprised.

“Yes, something came up.” Demos was trying to pull Ferris up. “Is there a back door or…” Eri looked at the entrance where Ferris’ eyes seemed to be glued.

“Uhm… do you want to finish this down stairs?”

“What?” Demos’ tone was a little desperate and a little confused.

“We have this café bar downstairs, is a little more, uhm, reserved?”

“Yeah, yeah… sure.” He managed to get Ferris on his feet. “Lead the way, please!”

Eri ushered them to the back of the house and down a flight of stairs. The café was a cozy room with low tables and a low bar counter. She put the sushi plates down on one of the tables closest to the counter.

“I’ll bring the rest of your meal.”

As she was leaving she whispered something to the guy behind the bar and ran upstairs.

“Green tea?” He asked.

“Yes, please.” Demos answered.

"Why did you drag me here?”

“Because you wanted to go and talk to her, and try to work things out.”

“And…?”

“And, she’s… different.” Ferris squinted his eyes. “Look, she’s changed a lot, and I didn’t want you to get hurt and…” He sighed. “Sorry…”

“Yeah… right… when did she come back?” He asked grumply.

“A few days ago.”

“And you failed to mention it to me?”

“She’s been busy catching up with friends and you know…”

“And she didn’t want to see me…” He turned to the man behind the counter. “Would you happen to have anything stronger?” He pointed to the bottles behind him.

“Sake?” He looked at Ferris confused.

“Yeah, sure.”

Ferris didn’t even remember what he ate next or how he got do Demos’ car.

“So… what’s up with her?” He asked.

“I… don’t know… she won’t talk much…” Demos answered rolling down Ferris’ window.

* * *

The next morning Ferris woke up in his own bed, wearing his pajamas, and last night clothes were nowhere to be seen. He got up and immediately regretted it, as a wave of nausea ran through him and hit full on his head.

“Fuck…” He muttered, massaging his temples. His phone buzzed.

_Are you alive? - D_

_My head hurts… - F_

_As opposed to usual? - D_

“Tsh…”

_Rest and fluids… - D_

Ferris smiled.

_You owe me a new car carpet, by the way - D_

“Fuck!”


	3. Silver Linings

Ferris woke up early the next day and went straight to the Giorgetti’s Ristorante. He managed to buy a nice mat for Demos’ car, even though he was certain it wasn’t necessary, and that the Italian had already replaced the old one. Still, the gesture was important, he thought. As he pulled over he saw Emily coming out the restaurant’s door, she was on the phone.

“Emily” He jumped out of the car waving his hand. “Good morning!” She glanced at him and turned away. “Ah… wait!” He managed to catch her arm.

“I’ll call you back!” She snapped the phone and pulled her arm back. “What?”

“Sorry… I… uh… can we talk?” His palms started to sweat.

“About what?”

“About… uhm… you know… us?”

“I don’t have anything to talk… or listen…” She was starting to turn away.

“No, come on… Emily, just… Give me a minute, please?” She sighed and looked at her watch.

“Fine, you’ve got it.”

“Great!” He managed to smile. “I just… I wanted to apologize for leaving you like that, I know it must have hurt and I missed you so much. I-I haven’t stopped thinking about you everyday. I mean…”

“Who’s ‘you’?”

“What?”

“Who’s ‘you‘? You keep saying ‘you’ but who are you talking about?”

“‘You’? Well… ‘you’ is you. Emily, you!”

“Are you sure because… what’s that?” Ferris looked down and realized he had Demos’ gift under his arm.

“Oh… it’s uhm an apology… sort of.” She raised an eyebrow. “I kind of ruined Demos’ car-” He couldn’t finish his phrase she had already walked away.

* * *

He found Demos sitting by the bar sipping an espresso.

“What’s that?” The Italian pointed at the package under Ferris’ arm.

“Your mat.” He tossed it in his direction.

“Oh you shouldn’t.” He unwrapped it. “It’s… hideous! I can’t believe you thought it would go with my car.” Demos laughed a little before seeing Ferris’ expression. “Oh… sorry I didn’t mean to offend is just that I already bought a new one, it should arrive tomorrow or so, but if it makes you feel any better I won’t throw this one away!” He had a pained expression in his face. “I might use it while the other one doesn’t come?” And sighed heavily. “Ok, what’s wrong?”

“I met Emily outside…” Ferris had this tight knot sitting in his stomach.

“Oh… did you talk to her?”

“I tried, but…” He remembered how it had gone and the knot felt tighter. “It’s no use I guess…”

“Sorry about that.”

“Yeah… She seemed quite busy too.”

“Ah… yeah…”

“What?”

“Well… I don’t know if it’s a good or bad timing but… She’s leaving…”

“What?!!?”

“Yeah… Grandpa got in touch with Grandma and they kind of got her into this exchange program in Italy, it’s supposed to entice her artistic side. Grandpa says he misses his little artist princess. So, she’s leaving in a few days.” Demos had an anxious face.

“Oh…” For some reason Ferris’ knot loosened a bit.

* * *

Later that day Ferris went on a walk, he couldn’t focus on work or study. He was wandering without much thought into it and found himself looking at brushes in a shop he couldn’t remember walking into.

“May I help you?” He turned around a saw a small Asian girl. “Oh, hi! Ferris, right?”

“Yes, uhm… Yuri?”

“Eri.” She smiled.

“Oh sorry…”

“Nah, I get that a lot… Uhm do you need help choosing a brush?” She pointed at the stand he was looking at before.

“No, I uh… I was looking… for a gift.”

“Uhm does your friend paint?”

“I’m not sure… She used to like watercolor a lot. But, she stopped it, I think.”

“Well, is she starting it again?”

“I think so…” Eri laughed a little.

“I might have something, come!” The walked past some aisles and stopped in front of a wall full of drawers, she started to open them all searching for something.

“So… you work here too?”

“What? Oh, yeah, I work here, only, actually.”

“How?” She giggled.

“My uncle owns the restaurant so I go there when they are short in staff.”

“Oh… and they don’t mind?” Ferris pointed to the ceiling.

“Uhm… He owns this store too, so I don’t think so… Ah here!” She pulled a small wooden case of the drawer. “It’s a travel kit!” She opened it and there was a small set of pastilles, a small bottle of water with a dropper and a set of brushes. “See? They are miniatures, also if she likes it she can find mini pastilles almost anywhere, I think. And the brushes are made of natural hair, so they are softer!”

“How much is it?”

“Let me see.” She turned to the computer next to her. “Oh, it’s on sale! It’s 68 dolars.” She looked at him.” But, we can round it up for 60?” He nodded. “I’ll just wrap this up for you ok?”

“Yeah… thanks.” He smiled sheepishly.

Ferris left the store a little light headed. He had just spent 60 dollars on a gift he was quite sure he wouldn’t be able to deliver, and even if he did, it would be thrown out.

* * *

It was 2:36 A.M. when Ferris woke up that night, a sudden thought in his head.

“Hello?” Demos’ voice was husky and sleepy.

“Hey! I need a favor!”

“Someone better be dead…”

“I need you to give Emily something.”

“What, fra?”

“it’s a gift. You can just put it in her suitcase if you want!” There was a pause on the other side of the line.

“Fine… come by tomorrow…”

* * *

Ferris had barely slept the rest of the night and jumped out of bed as soon as he alarm clock went off. He tried not to rush as he showered and got dressed. He got to the Ristorante and found it empty, or almost. He caught a ghostly figure sipping an espresso by the bar.

“Good morning, Gina.” She didn’t even look at him. “I was looking for…” He managed to remember he wanted to be on her good side. “… everyone, do you know where the guys are?”

“They all left.” She still didn’t look at him.

“Where did they go?”

“Some trouble, somewhere.” She waved her hand annoyed and he knew it was his queue to leave.

Demos didn’t answer his phone and Ferris felt a cold rush down his spine just as his phone rang.

“Oh hey!”

“Where, the fuck, are you?” Ferris asked barely holding his tone.

“Sorry, we had a little trouble this morning. Uncle Vic wanted to take care of it as soon as possible so…”

“Fuck Demos! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Sorry.” He did sound apologetic. “It was supposed to be quick; anyway, I still got some errands to run.”

“I’ll come meet you.”

* * *

By the afternoon their “errands” were all done and the boys found themselves tired.

_HEY! Fancy some meats? - S_

“Does he mean lunch?”

“I’m guessing so…”

_Where? - F_

_Same diner! 15? - S_

_Yup! I’m bringing Demos - F_

_Grand! - S_

It was probably the first time Ferris would see Seamus that summer; the brit had been away in London for the most part of it, so, now, the three of them found themselves reminiscing over burgers. Evening fell without them even noticing it.

“You know what we should do? We should hit a bar or something! I heard about this jap bar over the park somewhere.”

“Yeah, we’re quite familiar with it.” Demos cringed.

“Then let’s go!”

“I don-“

Seamus pulled both of them out of their chairs and off they went, back to Ran Café Bar. It was quite empty since the buzzing hour hadn’t arrived yet, so they easily found seats by the bar.

“Green tea?” The man on the other side of the counter seemed to recognize Demos.

“Oh, yeah, no thanks, today we’ll go with something stronger. “

“Sake?”

“Uh…”

With their lack of answer the man held his hand and ran to the stairs.

“Eri!!!” - The girl came a few moments later, they exchanged a few words and she looked up to the party.

“Hey!” Ferris said. “Short on staff today too?”

“Yeah… sort of.” She laughed. “Excuse Hiro, he just got here from Japan and hasn’t figured English yet. So what can I do for you?”

“We were wondering if you’ve got something a little bit stronger than green tea.”

“Sure… Would something ‘whiskier‘ be all right?”

* * *

By the end of the night Seamus was surprisingly sober, the same however couldn’t be applied to Demos. Being the driver of the night, Ferris insisted in taking Seamus home.

“Thanks mate!” He said cheerfully getting off the car. “You sure, you don’t want any help with him?”

“Nah, I got it.” Ferris looked at the passed out Italian on the back seat.

“Okay, drive safely.” He then got into the building whistling merrily.

Ferris got to the Giorgetti’s Manor and helped Demos upstairs to his bedroom. He carefully undressed his friend and managed to put him in some pajamas before laying him in bed. As he made his way out of the bedroom he, started to put his jacket on and felt something falling off the inner pocket. A small package neatly wrapped.

“Crap…” He sighed.

Emily was supposed to leave the next day and he was quite sure there wouldn’t be time to sneak it into her things. As he gloomily thought about her departure, he noticed a faint glow at the end of the hall.

Going against all instincts he followed it and found Emily sleeping on the sofa, a mass of paper, sketches, and drawings laid out on the table in front of her. He watched over the scene for a moment and a glimpse caught his eye, a very thin silver line across Emily’s finger.

Ferris blinked a couple of times and took three deep breathes before looking for a blanket. He found one in a drawer behind the sofa, he tucked her in as neatly as he could, taking his time.

He left the small package on the table before leaving silently. As he walked down the hallway he could feel the knot at the bottom of his stomach untying, and a certain lightness in his head. Perhaps, he had gotten some sort of closure after all that time.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Jisuk!!  
> I hope you like it! Thank you so much for all your wonderful books!
> 
> \---
> 
> Also thank you so much, Bee, for beta reading this to me!!  
> (so if anything seems weird you can blame her... JUST KIDDING!)
> 
> \---
> 
> If you are wondering what's the name of the song: "Tonight You Belong to Me" by Eddie Vedder


End file.
